Cameras are currently being used in a unitary manner with a video receiver, a cable connecting a video receiver and the camera, and a control system for controlling the camera. Such systems are often used by plumbers and other related occupations for inspecting a conduit and often for finding the exact location and nature of a fault in a conduit or pipe system, whether it be a supply of water, fuel or waste matter. At the time of making this invention there were no camera systems on the market that did not require return to the manufacturer or a special repair station for even the simplest repair or replacement. This is also true at the time of filing this patent application. This has caused, and continues to cause, lengthy down time to return, have the repair made, and receive the repaired part, and expense for the customers using such equipment.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to remote camera systems wherein there are currently only systems units that are currently usable and replaceable only by highly qualified technical personnel, and are not adapted to having each unit of the system replaceable in the field. The expression “in the field” means at the site that they are being used or at a local shop in the area where they are being used that does not have the highly qualified technical personnel that the manufacturers of the current systems employ. The units of these systems include cameras, controls, and video equipment with a specialized cable connecting the units. The invention changes this, making each unit of the system being readily replaceable in the field without requiring the services of highly qualified technical personnel. Each unit has been especially modified to be simply removed and replaced.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the current practice wherein a small video camera is introduced into a conduit such as a sewer in order to either inspect it to determine its present condition, or to locate a damaged area precisely which may then be patched or otherwise repaired. Such a device is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,398, for example, finding where the damage that needs repair is located. Camera systems of this type have become very specialized, so that each part of the system that may have failed is shipped back to the maker or distributor who maintains a repair facility to correct the failure. This requires that the system be away from its place of usage for an inordinately long period of time each time that there is a parts failure, and has become quite expensive, not only for the direct cost in shipping as well as the danger inherent it the items shipped can be damaged during shipment both to and from the repair center, and upon occasion even be lost for a period of time. There are also relatively high costs being charged for labor and materials and another high cost of lost time where the system cannot be used. When there is something wrong with a sewer or other conduits, there are usually high costs due to the loss of the contents causing damage to the area as well as having that particular system even temporarily out of commission. Also currently, the various components of the systems that have been available are so designed and configured that they can only be connected with and operate fully with other special components such as a particular video monitor and particular cameras and electronic controls, as well as a particular cable push rod. For example, the electronics for the control of the camera are housed in their video monitors have been integrated with those monitors to the extent that they are not readily removable and replaceable, particularly in the field, but require the servicing to be done in a repair center by higher qualified technical personnel, nor are the other parts of the system are usable with virtually any readily available video equipment that has a standard video input receptacle. Yet, the idea of having all of this in one piece of equipment has been said to be an economic cost savings, neglecting to consider the very high costs of returning all such items for repair as well as the costs relating to down time that the equipment cannot be used.